India vs Sri Lanka 2026: Six-Match ODI & T20I Schedule, Venues and Series Guide

India vs Sri Lanka 2026 is scheduled to bring six men’s white-ball internationals to India from 13 to 27 December: three ODIs, then three T20Is. The BCCI’s published 2026–27 home-season fixture list confirms the dates, cities and start times. Delhi hosts the opener at 2:00 pm IST on 13 December; Pune hosts the final T20I at 7:00 pm IST on 27 December. The ICC’s schedule announcement independently lists the same six fixtures.

That is the confirmed calendar. Squads, playing XIs, ticket links, streaming services and match-specific pitch conditions should be checked nearer the tour. A lineup shown for the separate October Asian Games match, or for an earlier India–Sri Lanka tour, is not a December 2026 squad announcement. Save this page for the match-by-match guide and check the official fixture list again before travel.

ALL MATCHES DREAM11 PREDICTIONS ALL MATCHES TOSS PREDICTIONS

India vs Sri Lanka 2026 schedule: all six matches

Source: BCCI home-season schedule, 26 March 2026. Its table gives venue cities, not a guarantee about the exact surface or a ticketing gate. The ESPNcricinfo tour fixtures agree on the local start times. Dates and conditions remain subject to later official changes.

There are two distinct three-match series here, not one six-match points table. The ODI leg occupies 13–19 December and the T20I leg 22–27 December. Travel days separate fixtures, including the Delhi-to-Bengaluru move and the switch from Ahmedabad to Rajkot. For a supporter arranging time off, that matters more than treating the tour as six games on successive days. Each format will have its own result and series score.

Practical tip: add the six dates to your calendar, then recheck the BCCI fixtures page on the week of each match. A printed schedule is useful, but a later board notice would take precedence.

Why the December series matters

The ODI-to-T20I switch is the story of this tour. In the first half, a team must manage a full 50-over innings: building partnerships, allocating ten-over spells and adjusting when wickets fall. Three calendar days after the final ODI, the same national sides turn to a format in which an early burst or one economical spell can decide a much larger share of the contest. The squads may differ. Even if a player features in both formats, their job could change.

The timing also gives the ODIs a natural place in India’s preparation for the next 50-over cycle. That is editorial context, not a claim that either board has announced a special World Cup selection trial. The sensible question is how much a team learns in three one-day games before switching to three night T20Is. Selection notices and actual match performances, rather than a projected XI today, will answer it.

The ICC describes the six games as part of India’s broader 2026–27 home season. That season includes West Indies, Zimbabwe and Australia visits, but the December fixtures with Sri Lanka stand alone. For context on a different ODI venue and format, see 4xSports’ India–West Indies New Chandigarh pitch evidence guide. Its ground figures are not transferable to Delhi, Bengaluru or Ahmedabad.

The three ODIs: where the series can turn

1st ODI, 13 December: Delhi opens at 2:00 pm IST

The first game establishes the only evidence that will be directly relevant to this particular six-match tour: the confirmed XIs, batting orders and match-day conditions. Delhi’s December setting may bring different conditions from early-season cricket, but no one can responsibly promise a certain pitch or weather outcome this far ahead. Wait for the actual surface inspection, toss and official weather update before making claims about swing, spin or a par score.

From a cricket perspective, the opening ODI can test how both sides arrange their first ten overs without overreading them. A brisk start matters, but the middle overs and the ability to bat deep matter too. One loose shot or an unusually slow pitch in Delhi does not establish a trend for the rest of the tour: Bengaluru and Ahmedabad are separate venues with separate match preparations.

2nd ODI, 16 December: Bengaluru offers a response

Three days later, the series moves to Bengaluru. This fixture is an adjustment point. The side that lost the opener may alter its balance; the side that won has to decide whether to keep the same roles. Nothing in the BCCI’s schedule tells us who will play, what the boundary dimensions will be on the day, or how the surface will behave. A venue’s reputation is not a ball-by-ball preview.

The better questions for 16 December are concrete. Did the first match expose a problem against a particular type of delivery? Did either side use all its bowling options? Were wickets saved for the last ten overs, or did an early collapse force a rebuild? Match one will offer evidence, and match two will show whether those responses worked. For a separate look at Indian one-day batting records—at another ground and in another series—read the Virat Kohli ODI venue stats at Barsapara; do not mistake those numbers for Bengaluru records.

3rd ODI, 19 December: Ahmedabad closes the one-day leg

The final ODI is scheduled for Ahmedabad at 2:00 pm IST. Its stakes depend entirely on the results of the first two. The one-day series could be level, already decided, or affected by weather or a change in availability. None of that is known on 1 October. What is known is the scheduling: this is the third and last 50-over meeting before a move to T20I cricket.

Readers should also keep the format boundaries straight. An ODI century, a ten-over bowling spell or a 50-over team total cannot be copied into a T20I form guide as if conditions were identical. Ahmedabad may supply useful clues about player roles, but Rajkot’s first T20I will start a new series. Our India–West Indies ODI match guide shows how to separate ground evidence from an actual match-day pitch report; this December article will follow the same rule.

The three T20Is: what changes after 19 December?

India vs Sri Lanka 2026 shifts from afternoon ODIs to evening T20Is on 22, 24 and 27 December. Each T20I is listed for 7:00 pm IST. Shorter innings mean less time to recover from early wickets and fewer overs per bowler. Teams can also use different specialists across formats; the eventual official T20I squad should be read on its own rather than inferred from the ODI XI.

1st T20I, 22 December: Rajkot starts a fresh scoreline

The Rajkot game is a reset. The ODI series result does not carry over as T20I points, and neither side is promised a tactical advantage because it played the same opponent three days earlier. Keep an eye on the actual team sheet, who bowls in the powerplay and how each side uses its available overs. The choice of opening batters and a player’s finishing role will be settled by the final XI, not by this October preview.

The evening start changes how fans plan to watch, too: it is 7:00 pm IST, not the ODIs’ 2:00 pm start. A scheduled night match does not establish that dew will definitely appear. If conditions become relevant, the match-day ground report and toss will provide a far better answer than an advance slogan about the venue.

2nd T20I, 24 December: Cuttack and the adjustment window

Cuttack hosts game two on Thursday, 24 December. Unlike the three-day gaps around the ODIs, the T20Is come with limited space for a long reset. If one bowling plan fails at Rajkot, the first chance to respond is here. Did a side preserve an over for the death? Were its middle overs controlled? Those are questions we can answer only after 22 December.

The 24 December date falls during a busy holiday period, which can matter for travel and availability of local services. It does not tell you whether tickets are on sale. Use official board and authorised venue notices for ticket information, and verify the match date before making non-refundable arrangements. A social post containing an unverified seat map or starting price is not a ticket confirmation.

3rd T20I, 27 December: Pune finishes the tour

Pune’s scheduled 7:00 pm IST start closes the three-match T20I leg and the overall visit. The game could be a decider or a chance to test a different combination, depending on what happens in Rajkot and Cuttack. We cannot report either scenario as a fact today. What we can do is mark this as the final fixture in the BCCI’s released schedule and leave room for match-day facts.

If you follow a specific player, wait for the named XI before treating them as available. A December squad may not mirror the teams discussed in our Asian Games semifinal-stats comparison in October; that event used a different selection context. It would be misleading to copy its wickets, playing XI or status into a December tour preview.

Squads and players to watch: a useful way to read future updates

As of this 1 October 2026 check, the BCCI fixture announcement and ICC schedule release specify dates, cities and formats, not named squads for this December tour. We have not found an official December ODI or T20I playing XI. That is normal months ahead of a bilateral series. The right way to cover selection is to distinguish an announced squad from a probable lineup, and both from a confirmed match XI at the toss.

Instead of printing a speculative team list, watch for four role questions. Who is picked to build the ODI innings? Who supplies wickets without sacrificing control in the middle overs? Which batters are selected for the T20I powerplay and final overs? Which bowlers can handle an evening match at a different venue? Those questions should be updated with named players only after board notices and team sheets are available.

This is especially important for anyone comparing India’s players across series. An ODI batter’s venue history at Guwahati, for example, does not equal a record at Delhi; a single T20I innings elsewhere is not an ODI sample. The Rohit Sharma Barsapara ODI record is a useful example of how venue-specific stats should be labelled. We will apply the same format and venue discipline once the December playing XIs are known.

Where to watch and how to follow confirmed updates

The six start times above are officially scheduled. A verified, tour-specific television and streaming list was not included in the BCCI or ICC fixture announcements reviewed for this guide. So this article will not label a network, app, free stream or region-by-region channel as confirmed for the December series. Distribution can vary by territory, and coverage for an earlier tour or the October Asian Games does not establish rights for these games.

For live match status, use the BCCI fixture announcement, the ICC schedule page and the ESPNcricinfo series centre. Check a named broadcaster’s own listing nearer each match rather than relying on an old graphic. We can add verified viewing links to this guide when they are formally available.

Frequently asked questions

When does the Sri Lanka tour of India 2026 start and finish?

The men’s white-ball tour is scheduled from 13 December to 27 December 2026. Delhi hosts the first ODI; Pune hosts the third and final T20I. The BCCI announced all six fixtures in March 2026. Any subsequent official rescheduling would supersede the dates here.

How many ODIs and T20Is will India and Sri Lanka play?

Three ODIs come first, on 13, 16 and 19 December. Three T20Is follow on 22, 24 and 27 December. The two formats have separate three-game series results; they are not a single combined table.

What time do the India vs Sri Lanka 2026 matches begin?

The BCCI lists all three ODIs for 2:00 pm IST and all three T20Is for 7:00 pm IST. Check the official fixture again shortly before a match in case its timing changes.

Are the India and Sri Lanka December squads or playing XIs confirmed?

No named December squad appears in the official scheduling releases cited here. The XI for any specific match will be known only from the relevant match-day team sheet. Do not transfer a lineup from the October Asian Games or an older tour into this series.

Which TV channel or streaming app has the tour?

This guide does not claim a tour-specific channel or platform yet. The scheduling sources confirm the matches, not a broadcast list. Look for a dated announcement from the rights holder or the boards closer to December, and check availability in your own country.

Can the schedule change?

Yes. Weather, logistics or an official decision can change the timing or location of any scheduled match. This page reflects the BCCI and ICC announcements available as of 1 October 2026, not a promise that every game will begin precisely as first listed.

Keep this guide, then check the match-day evidence

If you’re planning around India vs Sri Lanka 2026, the immediate job is simple: mark the six official dates and note the 2:00 pm ODI / 7:00 pm T20I split. When squads are named, check the format-specific lists. On each match day, verify the XI, weather, venue notices and confirmed viewing options. Only then should any player form, surface assessment or series prediction be revised.

Bookmark this 4xSports tour guide for schedule checks. We will keep the ODI and T20I records separate and update material changes against dated sources rather than replace this advance preview with a guessed result.

Sources and editorial note

• BCCI: Fixtures unveiled for Team India’s international home season 2026–27 (26 March 2026)
• ICC: India announce schedule for blockbuster home season (26 March 2026)
• ESPNcricinfo: Sri Lanka tour of India 2026/27 fixtures and results

Original 4xSports analysis based on the linked fixture notices; no December match result, broadcast deal, squad or pitch forecast has been inferred from the schedule.